Pacific Whiting Utilization in the At-Sea Sectors

In 2016, during public meetings to discuss the Council’s 5-year Catch Shares Review process (Agenda Item F.6.c. Supplemental CAB Report, November 2016), issues were identified regarding the whiting sectors, and particularly the Mothership (MS) sector. However, during the development of the follow-on actions, the Council’s ad hoc Community Advisory Board (CAB) did not prioritize alternatives […]

Endangered Species Act (ESA) mitigation measures for salmon

On December 12, 2017, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a biological opinion (BiOp) on Reinitiation of Section 7 Consultation Regarding the Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. This BiOp addresses the requirement in Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act to ensure that any Federal agency action “is not likely to jeopardize […]

2020 harvest specifications for cowcod and shortbelly rockfish

At its June and September 2019 meetings the Council received public comment requesting relief from the adverse effects of harvest specifications for these two stocks. Affected trawl participants south of 40°10’ N. lat. requested a higher annual vessel limit of cowcod given the difficulty avoiding incidental bycatch as the stock rebuilds. They expressed concern the […]

Endangered Species Act mitigation measures for seabirds

On May 2, 2017 United States Fish and Wildlife Service published its Biological Opinion (B.O.) addressing observed take of endangered short-tailed albatross in commercial groundfish longline fisheries managed under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The Incidental Take Statement in the B.O. lists nondiscretionary term and conditions, one of which mandates that the Council […]

Coho salmon rebuilding plans

Final Coho rebuilding plans Strait of Juan de Fuca Natural Coho Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BJ05 (October 2019) Queets River Natural Coho Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BJ05 (October 2019) Snohomish River Natural Coho Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BJ05 (October 2019)

2020 Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan

At each September meeting, the Council considers proposed changes to the Pacific halibut Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) and annual regulations for IPHC regulatory Area 2A (Washington, Oregon, California) to allocate the Pacific halibut catch limit between treaty Indian and non-Indian harvesters, and among non-Indian commercial and recreational (sport) fisheries. The Council takes final action on […]

Chinook salmon rebuilding plans

Final Chinook rebuilding plans Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BI04 (July 2019) Sacramento River Fall Chinook Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BI04 (July 2019) Proposed rule February 4, 2020

Gear regulations

In March 2016, the Council recommended that trawl gear regulations be updated to reflect the individual accountability provided by the trawl catch share program. Specifically, the Council recommended: allowing vessels to carry and use multiple trawl gears types on a single trip (fish caught using different gears must be stowed separately) eliminating minimum mesh size […]

Gear switching and trawl allocation attainment

Based on issues identified in its first review of the trawl catch share program (review of Amendment 20 to the FMP), the Council undertook a number of follow-on actions (see Section 5.0 of the review document, completed in November 2017).  One of these issues was related to gear switching in the shoreside individual fishing quoa […]

Widow rockfish quota share reallocation and divestiture deadlines

Under Amendment 20, overfished species such as widow rockfish were allocated to permit holders based on the quota share allocation of the target species with which the overfished species are incidentally caught. Amendment 20 states that for overfished species, the quota share allocations may be reconsidered when the species is rebuilt. Widow rockfish is now […]